Tea and Concert at Hastings.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5970, 24 October 1890, Page 3

Tea and Concert at Hastings.

[OWN COIIUKSI'ONDKNT.]

The success of tho gathering in connection with the Church of England must have far exceeded the expectations of tho promoters. A pK.-at.aiit writer h.-issind of the Loudon 'bin conductors that their fixed and rooted belief as to the number they were Hocused to carry was as mmy as could by any means be coaxed into the vehicle. Homethim. like this must havo occurred to those in charge last night at St. Matthew's schoolroom (formerly tho church) At the tea, the material being as plentiful as it was choice, the difficulty was got over by relays at tho tables, the first-comers making room by taking the air outside. When the concert came on the building was eiammod to fifty percent, aver its utmost capacity, and then a lot were unable to get in. Tbo tables were beautifully laid out with services of plate, centre pieces of rare flowers. and not least, by all tho ttmp'ing delicacies suitable for the tea-table, which were done the most ample justice to. Tho following ladies presided at them: —Mesdames "liobbs, *W. Nelson, G. Roach, Chapman, Bennett, F. .Sheath. Duckworth, Beilby, HtiH-anl, Hetloy, Knight, E. 1). .Smith, and Viokermau ; Misses Nelson (2), Chapman (.), Clark (2), Bold (2), Roach (2), Percy (2), Kelly (2), Lincoln, and Rus-i-ell ((laughter of our respected representative in the House of Representatives). Mrs U. 'V. FitzKoy wa.-: to havo bad charge of a table, but, ras prevented by illness. After tome time the room was mctuuiorphised into it concert hall. The first item having been rendered, tho Rev. J. Hobbmounted the platform, tic said that, the I first oliject of this gathering was to attract it large number of people to meet sociably together ;if it had been for profit a larger eutrauce fee than ono shilling would have been charged. The .oundness of that policy wu.-t shown by the scene before him The people were there, and the sociability was there. (Applau.-.e). In accordance with custom, lie had issued many invit-itions, mo,.«t of which had been accepted. Others, among wlwin be would mention tho Rev. Father Smyth, the l._v. Mr B,iecroft, and the Rev. Dean Hovell, bad .sent apologies 'or their unavoidable ab-enee There was _ .euoiid object, however. Thero was a 'und connect' d with the Chiir.h of England n Hastings called the St. _ Matthew's BelevoJent Fund. It had its oriirin many ;■ ars sinco with tho Rev. Mr St Hill: or ho ,vas not, quite sure, with Mrs St. Hill. It ',nd been arranged by a committee of Indies ,vho had resigned the fund into his hands. I Phcy bad taken the money out of the bunk | md put it into his (tho speaker's) p.icitet. | Everyone knew how well I mies did themi ! [hiugs-tliewj works of charity, but they li„Junw given it into tho hands of the par-OM. wiio wus going to .-maiage bettor. (Loud laughter und upplau*.,. If '«.'>' ""<-' wanted to know what he did with tho money he might tell thero at once that he didn't intend to tell them, uud wouldn t. (Laughter). Tim benevolent fund would In; it -trietly secrer, one. It wits no _ purt oi his intention to pauperize Ins parishioner* iiy publicly iloliiu- out. alms. Tho real .-'ill'erei's were often the hiM, t'> speak of it, iuul it was bin intention to find them out an J r.li-.ve them. Tin re should bono raying '■ you gave fib ai"l :; o more," beciit-sn no on", would know. Miiiiy a one in bin or her rncovery from illne s wanted means to restore to them their Mtrmgth ; many other* wanted help from cases equally urgent, and ii any of his parishiomiv iw.w of any such _..,._ * thdy would do him (the speak.r) a kindness by telling him. It in a time of dire uistrosH he said to any one " Here h a '.■:, or £10 note ; pay me baokwheii you <_■~.'•• no one would know .>f it. Nne ini_.hr chink this a good deal to place m hi.i hinds, but the fact was they eoulln t have k better man ihun hiinseif-(laughlei-)-t.y rea-.m of tbe fact that he had been taken iv ! „-,)..f ten tb-t be wan nearly proof a gainst d-c.pi.ou. He bad hud to pay, too, tor be rx.ur.ouco. and tiiey would receive tbo bem-iu. At the end of t(.cli finaueml year bo should, have a .juiet iutorviovv with tho churchwardens, <md present, them with a buhl nee-sheet; that, was all the publicity tbero would be. There was one question ho had been allied which be found it difficult to answer, and that was to whother the fmxl uhould be used only for those oi the a .;._, ; h of England. i.L- .1.0.i1d by uu melius wish to .say " Oh, si.-, you ... not Huk'riug.'- *™, "' -out be .careful to avoid any H.ispieee; pt pr;»elyti,lilg. Let tlu , m reverse the positi-n ami imagine F ./ber Smyth to be in Ine p ,-iuoi,. In !' .., ,_-t ./eiitlemau well, iii-d know his kiii-hi.-'T of heart, and -if he (the lie v. Mr Hoblwi v"'-ut to him and said " Rev. Sir, the-- ue ouie IU U.V parish ii, sore need I,' liolt,; will :he.n although tho-Y_,e ho knew _.vi a»«w,-r wend be -it once that he would do so, an.. v.-0-ihl obtain the ...•oustaueo of ladies of hi* p-i i.4i to help .him in the work of .charity. He need not tell thorn what would he the natiira: outcome, of .such ;i proceeding. He (tho rev. speaker) was as free from jealousy

as any man, but he should not be pleased to find out, for instance, that the Wesleyan minister wa truing about amongst his (the speaker's) p irishioners seeking cases of illness ami distress and relieving them ; that was his (the speaker's) duty, and if he neglected it, and allowed the Rev. Mr Beeerof t and his friends to do it, ho should expect that those persons would on their recovery aro to the Wesleyan Church, and it would be natural f r them to do so. Tho answer as nearly as he could give it was that while the fund would be geuerally devoted to assisting cases of need among the parishioners, iv special oases it would be denied to no ono, and even if a Hauhau came to him nnd showed him that bis friend was suffering he would relieve him if he could. The entire proceeds of the evening, less ootne small expenses, would go to augment, tho St. Matthew's Renevolent Fund, and if any one would like to get up and count all the heads before him he would have some idea of now many shillings it would bo plus. The concert was under tho management of Mr __ D. Smith, and went off smoothly throughout. The choir santr the part song '' Ironf Hinders " by Pearson, which was followed by a pianofore duet from " Maritana "by the Misses Kelly. These, duets are generally v bore, but these ladies made it one of the best items in the concort by their brilliancy of Unv.li and conscientious rendering at every note. Included in this was a masterly solo for one hand by one of the ladies, who also shone in a solo (" America ") in the second part. Mr J. A. Fraser contributed two songs "Old Madrid" and the " Moynell Hunt." In the first he was not in touch with tho audience, but in : the secoud he completely arousad them by the manner in which he rendered it. In response to the encore he of course received, he reoeated the last verse with great effeot. Sirs Price sang "Danube River." This lady has n grand contralto Voice, and is a recent and valuable acquisition to tho musical talents in Hustings; her voice showed out with arreat effect in the trio—"Farewell to the Forest," even more than in the song, which is not of itself an interesting one. In the part with the choir her contralto was heard with great effect. Miss A. St. Hill sang "The Children of tho City," and Miss Newton sang "The Fisher .Maid " Each of these ladies received au encore ; in fact, Miss Newtou was recalled a second time. Mr and Mrs Smith wero in their best form ; they sang iv several pieces ; but their best efforts was in the final trio " x-ve Maria," with Miss Peroy, which was a grand item. Mrs Smith and Mrs Prico were deservedly recalled for thoir duet "Sweet Vision? of Childhood." Mrs. Viekerman was received with groat applause for her song " Under the Daisies," as also was Mrs. C. Howard for the gem of " Trovatore," "Ah Che la Morte." The accompanists were Mrs. Howard, Misses Kelly. Matgan, Percy, B. Lee, and St. Hill. Miss'M. Lee playod a violin solo, "Reverie d'Amour," which received a well-earned oncoro, which she kindly acceded to Tho full rich tono with which the lower notes were produced were especially admired. The concert, which concluded by a harmonised version of the National Anthem, must bo scored us ono of the greatest musical successes in Hastings. The Rev. Canon St. Hiil proposed, and Mr. Beilby seconded, a vote of thanks to the performers and all who had assisted, which was carried with acclamation.